The number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines has reached over 20,000, according to the latest report of the Department of Health (DOH).

Based on DOH COVID-19 bulletin as of June 4, 4:00 p.m., COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 20,382. The total cases recorded on that day totaled to 634, with fresh cases at 313 and late cases at 321.

The number of recoveries is at 4,248 with 95 recoveries reported on June 4. There are also 10 reported deaths, increasing the total number to 984.

According to the Department of Health (DOH) most of the active COVID-19 cases in the country are only experiencing mild symptoms.

DOH Spokesperson Usec. Maria Rosario Vergire assured that the country’s health system can still manage the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday assured it will issue within the day the joint administrative order on the release of benefits for health workers infected with novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In a press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the Secretary of Health has already signed the joint administrative order and they are only awaiting the signature of both the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The order will contain implementing rules on Section 4F of the Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which states that a compensation of P100,000 will be provided to public and private health workers who may contract severe COVID-19 infection while in the line of duty; while those who die while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic will receive a compensation of P1 million.

The DOH earlier reported that 32 healthcare workers died due to COVID-19 while 79 were severely ill.

As of June 2, a total of 2,675 healthcare workers contracted COVID-19; 1,457 of them have recovered.

Vergeire said the release of the guidelines was delayed because they still had to source the funds for the beneficiaries.

She added that they also explored different possibilities, including tapping the Government Service Insurance System and the Social Security System, but found that doing so would result in a more difficult process.

Vergeire said the DOH has already contacted the families of all 32 health workers who died of the disease for the requirements.

Malacañang on Thursday said that President Rodrigo Duterte has given concerned government agencies until June 9 to distribute the financial assistance to COVID-19-stricken health workers. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Aiko Miguel)

MANILA, Philippines – Medical frontliners who will get infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in line of duty starting February 1, 2020, are entitled to receive a compensation of P100,000.

Meanwhile, relatives of those who will die of the disease will receive P1-million, according to Section 4 of the Bayanihan to Heal as One-Act.

But until now, none of the infected healthcare workers not even the relatives of those who succumbed to COVID-19 have received any amount from the government which dismayed several Senators.

According to Senator Sonny Angara, the Department of Health (DOH) failed to come up with implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Law that is why they were not able to distribute the said financial aid to the supposed beneficiaries.

The Senator insisted that the DOH should not use the absence of an IRR as an excuse for not complying with the law.

“It is really criminal. This neglect to pass and to delay these types of benefits,” Angara said.

“These people, we keep praising them as our heroes but yet, it’s just mere lip service if we don’t give them anything material,” he added.

Senator Richard Gordon, meanwhile, stressed that providing aid to frontliners sickened or killed in the line of duty especially at this pandemic is something unquestionable.

“You don’t need Implementing Rules and Regulations here. The law is very clear. Why should we distinguish? They have already died,” Gordon said.

“A little investigation will tell us that you can pay them because they died because they were in the frontlines! That’s a no-brainer,” he added.

Gordon noted that the COVID-19 death toll among healthcare workers has already reached 32 while two others are now severely or critically ill.

Senator Kiko Pangilinan also expressed his dismay and called the matter ‘unacceptable and unforgivable.’

“They have already died. They have already suffered, and we continue to allow them to suffer more because of this failure and inaction on the part of the Department of Health,” he said.

Because of this, Senate President Vicente Sotto III demanded the DOH to explain such delays in the compensation of fallen and sickened healthcare workers.

“It is definitely unacceptable. The answer is acceptable. They have to do it and they have to do it today,” Sotto said.

The DOH, however, is yet to respond to the matter. —MNP (with details from Harlene Delgado)

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